For past some time there appears to be a strong political expediency to
push Sardar Sarovar Project ahead flouting all norms and violating the
NWDTA provision of 'land for land' and Supreme Court judgement that
further construction would be permitted by Rehabilitation and Environment
sub-groups of Narmada Control Authority only after completing the R&R and
Environmental measures in consultation with Grievance Redressal
Authorities of three Affected states. In total disregard of human rights
of the people affected by this high dam on Narmada, politicians have
again indulged in vicious misinformation campaign, not realizing that the
same does also betray people of Gujarat if that implies pushing ahead the
financially non-viable project and increasing the regional imbalance due
to depriving Saurashtra and Kutch for allocation of water in favour of
urban metropolis.

On February, 28th while replying to queries by members, the finance
minister Nitin patel has reportedly informed the house, that "the work
has progressed upto 95 metres that the work is on full swing and the work
of raising the height of Narmada dam from 95 to 100 metres would be
completed before the onset of monsoon" (Refer: Dam height to be raised
before rains, The Times of India, Ahmedabad, dated 28th February). The
alleged information to house amounts to not merely contempt of court, but
contempt of democracy. It is an attempt to flout the oath taken as an
elected representative, by not telling the truth to other elected
representatives of the people, not in power. The true story is that on
the 8th February the date on which Environment and R&R sub groups of NCA
met in Delhi to take the decision looking at the dismal state of
resettlement reality, and not daring to undermine the determined
people's resolve to fight, the decision to raise the height to 95 metres
couldn't be taken. Environment Sub Group seems to have concluded that it
would permit further construction subject to the clearance by the R&R sub
group. The work at the dam site thus remains stayed at 90+3 (humps)
metres.

Immediately after this event, however, the authorities in Gujarat
initiated a misinformation campaign. First came the distorted statement
by Bhupendrasingh Chudasma, chairman, SSNNL that "ESG granted clearance
and the R&R sub-group said that resettlement process in Madhya Pradesh
was 'satisfactory'", while holding from speaking the truth that R&R
sub-group has not given the clearance. Then comes this misguiding
statement by minister in the house, where referring to the meeting
convened by Prime Minister in the presence of Madhya Pradesh chief
minister Digvijay Singh, and high level officials the minister reportedly
said "the dam height would be raised to 100 metres and the work was in
full swing to meet the deadline by the onset of monsoon".

We condemn such misinformation campaign and expect the sensitive and
knowledgeable of people^'s representatives, not in power positions will
function as watch dog in democracy and hope that they will question such
attempts of vested interest politics and irresponsible rhetoric. They may
demand answers an account of costs incurred on the project with the final
costs being 44000 crores. It may be noted that huge amounts were
allocated to SSP :

Rs. 1330 crores allocated for SSP in the annual plan for the year
2000-2001 (Source: Gujarat Samachar, dated 30th May 2000).

Rs. 1267 crores allocated for SSP in the annual plan for the year
2001-2002 (Source: Economic Times, dated 26th July 2001).

It is obvious that the PM's dictate was a sheer political act - in wake
of election where Narendra Modi was to seek votes from Rajkot electorate
- by putting petty political interests before people's constitutional
rights and was an attempt to subvert the judicial directive, actually by
doing so he expressed cold blooded disregard for the law of the land and
constitutional rights of it's people with a vulgar show of jingoistic
politics ignoring the illegality and injustice involved in such a
'decision'.